Through the Years
by bored-now0809
Summary: A series of connected one-shots showing the relationship between Steve and Darcy. 11/20: Double Chapter Update! Although chapter 3 is mainly about Bucky Barnes
1. Darcy's Crush

**Darcy's Crush**

_Darcy's relationship with Captain America started when she was nine years old. _

**September 1992**

When Darcy Lewis was nine years old, her class had its first lesson on Captain America. Darcy was impressed by how honorable and loyal he was. Her own father had split the year before and her mother was never very warm or affectionate so she formed an instant affection for the Star Spangled Man with the Plan and was irrationally jealous of the woman in his compass from the films they watched.

That night, while they were eating, she told her mother that when she grew up she wanted to marry Captain America. When her mother rolled her eyes and said Captain America was dead then turned up the volume on the TV, Darcy burst into tears. She cried about it for a week.

How could someone as brave and good as Captain America be dead?

**OOOOooooOOOO**

**May 2003**

When Darcy Lewis was sixteen, her history class was focused on US History. After the AP exam in May, there wasn't a lot to do, but instead of watching movies until the school year ended in June, her teacher assigned them each a report on a famous American to present to the class. Darcy did _not_ get Captain America. She didn't know whether she was happy or disappointed by that.

Now, slightly older and massively more cynical than her nine year old self, she could understand how someone so brave and good could die. They would sacrifice themselves for others. Darcy stared at the pictures of Captain America her classmate put up during his report and she could still feel a flutter in her heart at his earnest gaze. She tried to squash it, knowing it was silly. Instead, she resolved that she would marry someone _like_ Captain America.

Looking around at the boys in her class, she couldn't hold back a sigh. They were _nothing_ like Captain America. She did her report on Virginia Hall and passed that class. That was good enough for now.

**OOOOooooOOOO**

**December 2006**

When Darcy Lewis was twenty years old, she was a history major at Culver University. She didn't know why she was surprised that her survey of WWII class had so much on Captain America. However, she was a little annoyed that they weren't studying anything about the Pacific Theater- her grandpa had fought with the Marines and was at Iwo Jima and Bourgainville. But with Professor Jones it was all about the Captain.

The only good part was they _really_ got to study him. Not just Captain America but Steve Rogers too. And that's when Darcy realized it was _Steve_ that made Captain America brave and heroic. She started dating a skinny artsy guy in her dorm and thought that maybe _maybe_ this was it. She had found a guy "like Steve Rogers" that she could really see herself with.

So when she caught him in bed with her roommate, she was crushed and humiliated that this was the guy she gave her virginity to. Steve Rogers would never have done that.

The next day, she moved out of the dorm, changed her major to political science, and vowed that she would _never_ get married.

**OOOOooooOOOO**

**April 2014**

When Darcy Lewis was twenty seven years old she moved to New York and actually _met_ Captain America. With SHIELD debunked by the Internet and trending on Twitter, Jane had been offered a position at Stark Industries to continue her research. Jane had insisted that Darcy come along. Darcy wasn't going to complain because she didn't really have any other job prospects and she had grown used to working with Jane. And things with Ian had taken a decidedly awkward turn and she couldn't wait to leave that mess behind her. Of course, the first thing out of her mouth had been decidedly embarrassing.

"Holy _shit!_ You're Steve Rogers!" Darcy said upon walking into a room and seeing _Steve Rogers_ who she'd had a crush on since she was _nine years old_ sitting at a table in the break room drinking a cup of coffee. She promptly covered her face with her hands in embarrassment and missed the bemused smile on his face. She spread out her fingers and peeked out from behind her hands at him. "I'm sorry. I bet you get that all the time. I am such an idiot…God, Darcy! And now I can't shut up, why can't I shut up…just stop talking." And she actually physically moved her hands to cover her mouth so no sound could come out.

Darcy was so embarrassed. It didn't help that Stark was standing at the counter laughing at her and that her face was so hot she could actually _feel _the blush on her cheeks. Through her embarrassment she heard Stark introduce her as "Darcy- one of the new lab monkeys" and she chanced a look at Steve and saw that he wasn't laughing at her. But he was giving her a smile.

"Actually, I don't get that a lot." He said and gestured for her to sit down. Darcy cautiously sat down on the edge of a nearby chair looking at him nervously. She swallowed and took her hands away from her mouth after Stark left the room.

"Get what?" She asked still slightly in awe of him.

"Steve Rogers." He clarified. When she still looked confused he went on. "Usually people say 'holy shit you're Captain America.'" He said with a shrug. Darcy snorted at his cursing but gave him a tentative smile.

"Well, there wouldn't be any Captain America without Steve Rogers, right?" She asked and felt her heart soar as _he_ blushed and ducked his head.

"That's nice of you to say." He finally said and Darcy felt her confidence return. Which of course meant that she was bound to embarrass herself again.

"Well, I mean, I practically took a whole course on you in college. It was actually sort of annoying that a supposed survey of WW2 was really just an episode of the Dating Game, Captain America edition." She paused and saw that Steve was looking at her with his mouth open and she realized what she had just said. "Oh God. Kill me now." Darcy said covering her face again and sinking into her chair. Steve gave her a half smile.

"Actually, it's sort of nice to not wonder if what you're saying is true." Steve said sincerely.

"Well, finally my complete lack of social filters pays off." Darcy said with a smile. She figured she had better get out of there before she said something else completely embarrassing so she got up and walked over to the coffee pot to pour a cup and go back to the lab. Feeling generous she poured one for Jane too.

"No, I mean it." Steve said and reached out and gently touched her arm not pouring coffee. "After the whole 'SHIELD-is-Hydra' thing, it's nice to talk to someone and not worry that they're hiding stuff from me."

"Thanks. That's really nice of you." Darcy replied and felt herself relax at last. She gave him a true smile before putting the coffee pot back and grabbing the mugs. "I should get back to the lab, but hopefully I'll see you around." And with one more smile she left heading back to the lab and mentally congratulating herself for saying something to him and not wanting to die in embarrassment immediately after.

Meanwhile, when she smiled at him, Steve realized just how beautiful Darcy was. He hadn't noticed it when she was turning bright red from embarrassment, but now that he did see, he froze a bit as his awkwardness with beautiful women made him tongue tied. He'd barely even been able to squeak out a good-bye when she left for the lab.

Steve took out his notebook and added one more thing to his list: take Darcy out on a date. He thought about it for a second and then ran out after her. He had a lot going on right now; finding Bucky, deciding what to do with his life…but he wasn't going to sit around and wait for anymore dates in his life.

"Hey Darcy! Wait up! I wanted to ask you a question…"

**OOOOooooOOOO**

AN: Based on a couple of Marvel timelines, I'm going with Darcy was born in 1986. If the stuff with Thor (New Mexico) happened in the summer of 2011, she would be 25 years old. Which I'm assuming that she took a gap year (which then actually lasted 2 years) and she's had to work her way through college along with changing her major made her a bit older than your 21/22 year old college graduate.

For her history report I chose Virginia Hall. Hall was a female spy in WW2. I only read a blurb on her online when I was trying to decide who Darcy's report should be on but she sounds completely fascinating. For the college professor, I was going to try to have it be one of Peggy's kids but decided against that since I couldn't remember who they had said was her husband in the movie I thought…huh. Why not one of the Howling Commandos' kids? I chose Gabe Jones since he went to school at Howard and I'm hoping that the family stayed in the area and one of his kids became a professor at nearby Culver College (on the Virginia side of the river!). I should also note that the battles listed that Darcy wants to study in the Pacific are real battles and it is feasible that a Marine back them would have been in both. I based it on the experiences of Sgt. Mike Strank who is one of the Marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima in the famous picture. You can read about the six men in that picture in the book "Flag of Our Fathers" which is written by one of their sons. It is an amazingly good book!


	2. First Dates

**First Dates**

When Steve Rogers was twenty years old he had his first first date. It was a set-up and a double date with Bucky. Steve was extremely nervous and excited. He'd seen Bucky go out on dates for years and had heard some pretty salacious stories…but he himself had always been too shy or too tongue tied to ask out any of the girls he met.

The date was an unmitigated disaster. The girl took one look at skinny little Steve and he saw her face fall in disappointment. Steve felt a flash of hurt, but pushed it aside. Surely, when she got to know him…

But the girl (Steve can't even remember her name now) didn't even let him try. He tried to start conversations with her; about art, about world events, about the Dodgers, even about current dress styles when he got really desperate. But her monosyllabic responses were designed to shut him down.

Steve had never felt quite as low and worthless as he did by the end of the first hour. If this was what he was missing by not "playing the field" that was 100% alright with him. But that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part came after dinner when they went to a dance hall Bucky liked. Steve didn't really know how to dance and was working up the nerve to ask his date to dance when he had an asthma attack.

He couldn't breathe.

And she only looked at him in horror and disdain.

Vaguely, Steve remembers Bucky helping him to a chair and glaring at something as Bucky's date brought him a glass of water. He eventually started to breathe again, but they left soon after. Bucky never saw his date again either. He said that it was because she was stuck-up but Steve knew that it was because her friend was rude to him. Bucky always put a lot of stock in who someone's friends were.

Steve's next first dates were all variations on the same theme. Some of the girls were polite but they clearly had no romantic interest in him. Some were ruder and some completely ignored him. Steve despaired at being set up but Bucky kept trying. So Steve went on first date after first date, not getting any closer to a second date and never closer to dancing.

OOOooooOOOO

When Steve Rogers was twenty-four years old, project Rebirth happened and he suddenly found himself on the road with about thirty show girls. Senator Brandt's aide (Martin) had taken him aside and told him not to date any of the girls…well, he used some more colorful words than that. But Steve didn't think that it would be a problem.

He was wrong.

While most of the girls treated him like a kid brother (which he appreciated) some of them made eyes at him (which made him nervous) and some made blatant overtures (which made him uncomfortable since someone else always overheard and would laugh).

Right after he turned twenty-five he decided to ask out one of the girls. Doris was always nice to him and tended to diffuse the situation whenever Maggie would make an off color remark about his body. It still didn't feel like his body but he didn't really like how he felt when she said them.

Thankfully, Doris said yes.

She seemed surprised but they had a nice time. He was still a little awkward, but Doris tended to find that cute. But they never went dancing. Doris said that she danced for a living and didn't want to do it for fun. After they had been out on a few dates, Steve had made it past second base, he suddenly found himself sliding into home. He didn't really know what to do and before he knew it, it was over. Doris gave him a smile, kissed his forehead and left. He stood there with his pants around his ankles feeling slight confused and a little let down.

The next day, all the girls were giggling and patting Doris on her back. He heard one say something about "doing it for America" and he must've made a noise, because they all looked over. There was an awkward pause and then Maggie laughed. Soon, all the girls were laughing. He saw the flash of guilt on Doris's face, but he didn't care. He ignored her when she tried to talk to him and kept to himself the rest of the tour.

He realized that his dates with Doris were not dates with Steve Rogers. They were dates with Captain America. He vowed not to go out with a girl again unless they were certain that they were on a date with Steve Rogers and not Captain America.

OOOOooooOOOO

When Steve Rogers was twenty-nine (ninety-six) he went on a first date with Darcy Lewis. The date was a disaster…mostly.

Steve had dressed casually and Darcy had dressed up- each trying to make the other more comfortable. Darcy had babbled about changing when he came to pick her up…but she looked so pretty he said. She blushed and they left in a cloud of stammering conversation.

He had planned on a walk through the park before going to a restaurant and then dancing. Darcy hesitated at the entrance to the park and he glanced at her face seeing a bit of hesitation before she seemed to steel herself. They walked into the park, talking about an exhibit they had both seen at the MOMA.

Steve felt like, clothing aside, this was going well. They were talking and it wasn't awkward. He wiped his sweaty palm on his pants leg and was casually reaching for Darcy's swinging hand, his heart beating frantically as he felt their fingertips brush. He saw her blush and…

She sneezed.

Like a lot. And loudly. Steve was actually pretty worried after the sneezing continued without stop for several minutes. Darcy looked embarrassed and miserable. He made her sit on the nearest bench.

"Darcy, what's wrong? Can I- can I do anything?"

"It's ok." She gasped. "Allergies." She managed before another sneeze attack took her. Steve felt like an idiot. He'd forgotten that all the oak trees were pollinating now. He used to keep track of that stuff. Before…

"C'mon." He said and lifted her into his arms making a hasty exit. After getting clear of the park, Darcy's sneezing and coughing let up a bit and Steve set her back on her feet, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm really sorry…"

"No, I should've said something." Darcy interrupted with a rueful smile. "And I completely forgot to take my Claritin this morning." She gave him a smile. "I was sort of distracted."

Steve looked down and saw her smiling up at him. Something in her gaze, the way she looked into his eyes and seemed to see _him_ made him start to lean forward. He saw he eyes flutter shut and…

A car honked.

They were in the middle of the street. Blushing, Steve and Darcy moved over to the sidewalk as the taxi drove by in a blur of yellow and curse words. Steve gave Darcy a grin and a shrug, stuffing his hands in his pockets, unsure what to do with them.

"We should get to dinner, I guess." And he waited for Darcy to get to his side before walking to the restaurant, shortening his stride to match hers. Steve stiffened when he felt her hand on his elbow and he looked over to see her looking hesitantly up at him. He felt himself relax a bit and used his opposite hand to twine her arm through his. She grinned up at him and Steve grinned back, feeling a flush of color in his cheeks and his heartbeat pick-up.

Maybe he hadn't ruined this after all. They could recover from one little allergy attack.

Dinner actually went really well, with only a few instances of embarrassment. The conversation flowed easily because despite being born over sixty years apart, they had a surprising amount in common. And when Steve spilled his soda all over himself and the table (and a little on Darcy although she tried to deny it) she had just laughed it off and he didn't feel like a _complete_ bumbling idiot.

As he paid for dinner, Steve mentioned going out dancing; mentioning the name of a club that Tony had recommended. Darcy gave him a look he couldn't really decipher before shrugging and agreeing. Steve was more than ecstatic. He'd never made it this far on those double dates with Bucky and he'd never felt this way about Doris.

He and Darcy walked to the club, feeling slightly uncomfortable bypassing the line as Tony suggested (read: told Steve to do). When they got inside, Steve completely froze. That…was not dancing. And the girls! He swallowed. They were wearing less than the show girls! He blushed. What must Darcy think of him, bringing her here?

He felt her take his hand and gently tugged him to an empty table and Steve could actually feel the words bubble out beyond his control.

"Darcy, I'm really sorry…I had no idea…I just wanted to take you somewhere nice to dance and oh! I am never listening to Tony again!" He averted his eyes from hers, afraid that she would let him down easy, no matter that she wasn't angry with him. When he felt her hand under his chin tipping his head up, he met her eyes relieved to see her smiling at him.

"Steve, it's ok." She said. "I was a little surprised you wanted to come here but as soon as we got in I could tell that this wasn't what you had in mind…" She trailed off with a shrug and Steve felt the dam break.

He began to talk. To tell her about dancing in his day and how he never really went. How he was overlooked. About his missed date with Peggy. About how he was so happy that _this_ date had been so perfect (soda and allergies aside) and he thought…he thought…he broke off when she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Sorry." He muttered and started to look away.

"Steve." Darcy said and he turned expecting to get a polite brush off after word vomiting all over her. Instead he saw her looking at him with sparkling eyes. "Do you really that _I'm_ that special?" She asked in an unbelieving tone.

"Yeah." He breathed out unable to deny it. He had noticed her around the tower before they were officially introduced. He'd been thinking about her but was pretty sure she'd never see him as just Steve…he'd already started mourning something he would never have. But then they'd met and he knew he was a goner.

She didn't reply, just leaned up and kissed him, tentatively at first, then with feeling when he started kissing back. When they broke for air, she grinned at him and he smiled back. Then, Darcy pulled away and took her phone out of her purse. Steve felt a bit of trepidation.

"What're you doing?" he asked after a couple of second of watching her type. She gave him a grin.

"First, I'm looking up a dance place where we can actually _dance._" She said and Steve's heart literally skipped a beat as he smiled at her. Her hands paused and she blushed slightly before looking back down at her phone.

"Then?" Steve prompted and she let out a burst of laughter.

"Then, I'm emailing Tony to tell him that he is the most useless wingman in the world and is not allowed to give you any dating advice. Ever." She reached over to squeeze his hand. "You don't need advice from anyone on that." Steve shifted so her hand was clasped in his.

"Not with you…not anymore." He said earnestly. Darcy blushed and just as Steve was thinking of kissing her again, her phone chirped.

"Ugh, it's Tony." Darcy said and grinned before hitting the red button and her grin widened. "Ignore!" Steve laughed and stood up, offering her his arm. She looped her arm through his as though it was the hundredth time rather than just the second.

"Let's get outta here doll."

Together, they left the club and went to a place where dancing was actually dancing and they laughed together as they both fumbled through the steps. And at the end of the night when Steve kissed her goodnight and went back to his apartment, he felt like this really was a _first_ date…there would be a second. And a third. And a future with Darcy.

And he swore, no matter how busy he got, no matter what complicated mess/disaster/emergency happened he would never be too busy to take his best girl out dancing.


	3. Bucky's Tale

**Bucky's Tale**

It had been at least a month since the battle. Whatever that meant. He had heard one of the volunteers talking about it. Apparently the volunteer had known people who had died there. So did he.

Currently he found himself sitting in his favorite shelter. The one on Second Street. The neighborhood was a little rough, but he knew there was nothing scarier out there than him. But, he was glad that no one here had seemed to pick up on that. It was nice that the weather was unseasonably cold so he could wear a long sleeved shirt to hide his metal arm without attracting attention to himself. The last thing he wanted was attention.

His ears pricked up again as the volunteer's conversation shifted gears slightly. One word- or name really- caught his attention.

"Guess it must be a slow news day if they're talking about where Captain America is again."

He saw the volunteer gesture to the television and when he looked over his breath caught. It was the man in the blue suit. The one who looked familiar.

"Who is that man?" He asked and everyone stared at him. He realized he had spoken aloud. He glared and asked again, pointing to the television where the man- Captain America- was still on the screen. The volunteer, a big man over six feet tall and solidly built, swallowed hard in the face of his glare but answered.

"That's Captain America."

"Who is Captain America?" He asked. He felt like this was important. It was something he should know. Had known. The man gave him a confused look.

"I'm not sure what you mean." The volunteer did look uncertain, but he merely continued to glare. Glaring helped distract him from the pain that had erupted in his head.

"Who. Is. He." He stood slowly from where he was standing, causing everyone in the room to stop and stare at him in fear. He knew fear. Everyone was afraid of him. In a way, it was comforting.

"Hey man, calm down." The volunteer said holding his hands up as he continued to glower. "I don't really know, aside from the fact that he's a super hero. There was a thing in New York…"

The volunteer continued speaking but his mind got caught on New York. He knew that place. Just like he knew that man. His head throbbed a little more. Just when was about to lash out, and probably get himself banned from the shelter, a grey haired old lady who he recognized as another volunteer came up to him and looked him in the eye. He felt himself relax a little.

"What's the problem, son?" He thought of the many ways that he could answer before settling on the easiest answer.

"Who's Captain America?" She actually smiled at him. It took him completely by surprise.

"Didn't take you for a super hero fan." She said in a teasing voice. Teasing. He remembered that…he forced himself back to the present and listened to the lady. "I don't know too much about him or the history, but I hear there's an exhibit down at the Smithsonian on the Mall." There was a long silence as she looked up at him expectantly.

"Alright." He answered before slowly sinking back down into his seat in the corner. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but instead just gave a sharp nod and walked away, back to her duties. Some of the others in the room stared at him, still afraid. He was aware but pretended to ignore it. He didn't know if he liked them being afraid of him or not. It was like he was two different men; one relished their fear and the other was disgusted by it and by himself. Which man was he now?

It took him over a week to find the exhibit. It turns out the Smithsonian was a group of museums. Once he found the Mall, he found a map of all the museums. He figured an exhibit about Captain America would be at the American History museum. It took him two days to go through the entire museum before he admitted to himself that it wasn't there.

He wasn't sure where to go next. He eliminated the art museums and eventually decided to go through the Natural History museum because it had "history" in the title and was next door to the American History museum.

It wasn't there. But there was a whole room with dinosaurs which he really liked a lot even though it always seemed to be filled with laughing, loud, smiling children. It took him three days to get through that museum. At a loss where to go next, he decided to randomly choose his next museum. He pointed at the map and saw the Native American museum had been selected.

Even though it didn't sound right, he walked down there, sticking to the shadows. But he never made it. On his way, he passed a sort of squat building that claimed to be the Air and Space museum. There was a picture of Captain America on a banner. He almost smiled as he walked up the steps.

The foyer was impressive. He glanced up at the planes. He glanced at a capsule that had been sent to space. Why did it look familiar? He walked by a moon rock and felt his brow lift involuntarily in surprise. The moon?

His wandering eventually led him to the exhibit. It seemed that since he had found the right museum, finding the exhibit was easy. There he was, Captain America, staring down at him. He steeled himself and went into the exhibit.

He stared up at the picture in front of him. That was him. But not him. A him who died in 1944. Whose name was James Buchannan Barnes and was best friends with Steve Rogers. Captain America. Target #1.

His eyes watered as he continued to look at the sign and his head began to throb. There were too many people around; too much noise. He didn't know how to explain what he was seeing. He didn't understand why he pulled his Target out of the river. He was supposed to kill Captain America. Not save him.

It seems like three days ago wasn't the first time he had saved Captain America if the stories posted around him were to be believed.

_Were the stories to be believed?_

He didn't know what to do or where to go. The only thing that he did know was that he couldn't stay in this room with all the echoing screams of children around him. If he listened too hard, their screams of excitement became different types of screams. Screams of pain. Screams of anguish. Screams he caused.

He ran.

_His name is Bucky- but that doesn't sound right. Maybe, once, his name was Bucky. But now his name wasn't Bucky. Now he was a man without a name. _

And found himself in the middle of a large open green space. The Mall. The sky was blue above him and the sun was shining down on him but there was a chill in the air that made him pull his collar up over his neck. People were wandering around; they appeared to be taking pictures. He didn't know when he was and didn't know where he wanted to go.

In fact, there wasn't a lot that he did know. He only knew that he couldn't stay here and he didn't want to be around people. The area was too exposed. Enemies could be anywhere…

_He could feel the eyes on him as he sat at his scope. Someone else was here. His target was due to come out of the house to walk to the car on their way to work any second now. After a week of surveillance, he knew that this was the only time the man was out in the open. All other hours he had guards or was behind bullet proof glass. Where he was sitting was exposed, but it was the best place to get his shot off. _

_He heard a rustle behind him…he twisted away just in for the bullet to miss him…his target was being hustled into the car by his guards, the sound of the bullet alerting them to danger…_

_The Winter Soldier wasn't worried. He would get his target. He always did. _

_It was just the size of the body count that would change now. One dead became ten dead because of one enemy assassin looking to make a name for himself. It would be a mistake that particular assassin would never make again._

Bucky shook his head. Was he Bucky? Or was he the Winter Soldier? He didn't even know what to call himself. Voices rose up in his head…

_Yasha…Bucky…Sergeant Barnes…James_

He clutched his head in his hands, his hair snagging on the links of his metal hand. That was good. The paint brought him clarity. He focused on that and moved to go sit under one of the trees nearby the edge of the big open place to figure out his options.

_He had options_

That thought made him sit completely still. So still that one of the many sparrows fluttering around perched on his metal hand. He looked at the bird. It cocked its head at him and he found himself in a staring contest. With a sparrow. The thought made him laugh, which made the bird fly off. But remembered what it was like to laugh. He never wanted to forget again.

Options. He could stay here. Continue to live in the shelter. Part of him rankled at the thought of accepting charity. When he first started going there, it had seemed a good way to lay low, stay off everyone's radar and regroup. He'd never had a target save his life before. He'd never let a target get away…he cut off that train of thought.

But it led him to his next option.

He could locate and go back to his handlers. As soon as he thought it, his breathing became shallower and his heart rate picked up. He could practically feel the icy echo of the frost on his face. He forced himself to remain calm. If he went back…he wouldn't remember. He wouldn't feel this uncertainty. He wouldn't have to choose anything else ever again. They would tell him. The thought filled him with equal parts relief and terror.

The sparrow flew back and landed a few paces away from him, as though expecting something. He remembered how to laugh. Some foreign feeling surged up inside of him. He _wanted_ to laugh. He _wanted _to remember. He _wanted_ to choose. He rejected that option. No. He would not go back. He would never be the Winter Soldier again.

But he didn't like the other option either, staying in the life he'd been living the past few months. It seemed…not right. He wasn't the Winter Soldier. But was still he Bucky Barnes?

_I've known you your whole life_

The man, Captain America, had said that.

_I'm with you, until the end of the line_

He had said that. **No. **Captain America. He lowered tucked his knees up to his chest and put his elbows on his knees and slowly lowered his head to his hands. He looked at his scuffed combat boots. Everything was a jumble. He was a jumble. But maybe…maybe he could somehow get unjumbled.

He half smiled at the scuff mark on the inside of his right heel. The sparrow twittered, drawing his attention. It cocked his head at him again and Bucky gave a real smile. He didn't know where the thought came from, but he suddenly realized he only had one option. Go home.

He stood up and started walking, his feet pointed in the direction of New York (although he didn't know it). He would go home. He would find S- Captain America.

He might not be Bucky Barnes now, but he wanted to try to be the smiling man in the pictures. A man with hope. A man with a future. A man with friends.

That had been his only option all along.

Natasha sighed as she went through the security feeds. This was not what she wanted to be doing with her time. But she had promised Steve. The corners of her mouth went up at the thought of Steve. Her…friend. It was still a bit of a foreign concept to her.

Steve was out of town, following up on another lead about a sighting of the Winter Soldier. The only thing positive to come out of the past three months was that Steve had finally seemed to take an interest in the world around him outside of missions. Natasha was surprised at his interest, pursuit, and eventual relationship with Darcy Lewis, and it took a lot to surprise her. Even more to surprise her in a positive way.

Right now, Steve was in Tirana. Thankfully, Stark had loaned him the jet so the trip shouldn't take that long. All the leads this far had been fake and she knew that Darcy had something special planned for Steve tonight.

Her eyes absently flickered over the faces on the screen. Steve was somehow convinced that the Winter Soldier (she had a hard time calling him anything else even in her head…even though Steve always called him Bucky) would come to New York. Natasha thought he was kidding himself. Usually, it was Steve who would pour over the security footage until Darcy would come and pull him away to go to the movies. Or go dancing. Or sometimes she'd just bring him some sort of baked good and sit quietly with him.

Natasha let her mind wander as she thought about her friends' relationship. And yes. She considered both of them her friends. It was another thing that had surprised her- her friendship with Darcy. She wasn't friends with other women. And she had never been remotely friendly with someone so…normal. She had to admit the two were heart wretchedly adorable together. She had what she thought was a solid relationship with Clint, but looking at Steve and Darcy (and Tony and Pepper), she wasn't sure if what she and Clint had was in the same class.

Before she could think any more about it, the security footage caught her eye. Was that…She froze the footage and narrowed in on the face. He was partially obscured by a baseball hat and had a scruffy beard going on. But she would know that face anywhere. He heart almost stopped; she wasn't sure if she was happy or terrified. It was the Winter Soldier on the screen and the time stamp was for three hours ago.

"Jarvis, can you find the man in the picture on our security?" Natasha rasped.

"I am locating now." There was a pause and she swore she held her breath. She hadn't felt anything close to this since she was a young girl in the Red Room. Even the destruction of SHIELD hadn't left her feeling this anxious. "I have located the person you requested, Ms. Rushmore. He is 250 yards northwest of the building's service entrance."

"Thank-you Jarvis." She said breathlessly before grabbing her cell phone.

"Darcy's house of pancakes, how do you want 'em stacked?"

"Darcy. I need to get ahold of Steve." There was a brief silence from the other end of the line.

"Did you find him?"

"Yes."

"I'll call him."

And the line instantly disconnected. Natasha stood up, keeping her eyes on the real time monitor currently trained on the Winter Soldier. Bucky Barnes. She couldn't separate them in her mind. The past was becoming the future and she wasn't sure where that left her.


	4. Fights

**Fights**

Forth part of the Through the Years Series

_Every couple fights. Not every couple makes up (Steve and Darcy are in it for the long haul)_

Steve and Darcy had been a couple for three months before they had their first fight. Sure, they had bickered good-naturedly over a lot of things since they had started going out, but this was their first real fight. It was only natural given the over sixty years between them that there would be some misunderstandings and hard feelings.

And it was only natural that Tony Stark had inadvertently started the fight.

The entire Avengers team (plus Pepper, Jane, and Darcy) sat around a table in a conference room trying to discuss what to do with the Winter Soldier since he had turned himself in. They had placed him temporarily in a containment cell in the subbasement of the Tower. Tony was all for keeping him there indefinitely. Steve (of course) wanted to move Bucky out immediately into his own apartment in Brooklyn.

"No way, Captain Optimism." Tony said in a superior way. "I want that sack of crazy where we can see him and track his movements at all time."

Steve took a deep breath and tried to calm the irritation he felt at Tony. He clenched and unclenched his fists several times before answering.

"Look Tony, we can't just keep Bucky in a cell indefinitely-"

"That is not Bucky! That is a deadly Russian assassin called the Winter Soldier." Tony interrupted and Steve closed his eyes for a moment.

"Tony, c'mon-"

"No. I say that we put it to a vote." Tony said, slamming his hand on the table. "After all, this is a democracy." He added sarcastically. Steve glared at him.

"Fine. We'll vote then. No problem." He growled. "I vote we move him to my apartment in Brooklyn."

"I vote he stays in the cell." Tony replied quickly. "Bruce?"

"I think that we should give him the benefit of the doubt." Bruce said quietly, trying not to let the argument get to him.

"E tu, Bruce?" Tony asked sarcastically, but Bruce continued on.

"Don't press me Tony. Everyone in this room has problems and I think that we need to give Bucky- the Winter Soldier- a real life." Tony looked betrayed but Bruce kept his gaze focused on the table. Steve was overjoyed and asked the others what they thought.

Steve, Bruce, Thor, and Jane all agreed to give Bucky a chance and to move him into Steve's apartment while Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Pepper all voted that he should stay in his cell indefinitely. Steve turned to Darcy with a grin, sure that she would break the tie in his favor. After all, she was his girl.

"I think that we really need to think about this." Darcy said fidgeting in her seat. Everyone looked at her incredulously and she shifted uncomfortably. "I mean, he _is_ Bucky, but he's _not_ right now. I think that maybe, we should hold him a little bit longer-"

"Darcy!" Steve interrupted her and she looked up at him, the blush in her cheeks the only sign betraying how uncomfortable she felt in this situation.

"Let me finish, I-"

"Darcy! Just vote with me on this- I think I know what I'm talking about." Steve said in what he thought was a reasonable tone. What Darcy heard was the incredibly patronizing tone of a man who wanted "the little woman" to fall in line. Her hesitation and uncomfortable feelings were quickly replaced with anger.

"It's my life too, Steve! I get to have an opinion. I mean, this isn't the 1940s anymore! I can express myself and I don't need your permission to do it!

"Stop acting like a child." Steve said harshly.

"You think I'm a child?" Darcy replied in a dangerously low voice. Before Steve could answer, she went on. "Well if I'm such a child I guess I don't need to be here anymore." And she stomped out of the room, calling out over her shoulder as she left. "Maybe I'll call you after I've grown up to be an old misogynistic asshole like you!"

And she punctuated her last comment by slamming the door behind her, leaving an awkward silence in her wake. Steve looked at the door like his heart was breaking and the rest of the team averted their eyes, trying not to look at Steve or each other. They were almost relieved when Tony broke the awkward silence.

"Well…you certainly have a way with the women, Cap."

Almost.

Steve left the room and went to a liquor store. Then back to his room.

It was only natural that Steve, who didn't really _get_ dames, thought that their relationship was over.

So, when Darcy found him a couple of hours later, trying (and failing), to drink away his sorrows with a bottle of whiskey, she frowned at him. Sure, Steve would have the occasional beer or glass of wine because he liked it. But Steve didn't like whiskey.

Her heart flipped when he looked up and saw her. He gave her a bright smile before his face crumpled in misery and his eyes dropped. She hated seeing him so disappointed. With a sigh, she sat beside him, frowning as he continued to avoid eye contact. With a huff, she took his hand and forged ahead.

"So, I might've overreacted a little bit." Darcy said at last when it became clear that he wasn't going to look at her. Steve looked over incredulously and Darcy frowned. "Well, I mean…I shouldn'tve _yelled_, but I still had a point." She wasn't sure what else to say in the face of Steve's continued silence. In all the time they had been together he didn't really seem like a grudge holder. Unless you were Hyrda…and in that case she really got behind holding that grudge.

But then his hand tightened on hers and he turned his whole body to face her, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"You mean, we're not broken up?" He asked and Darcy's heart clenched and she felt tears come to her eyes. He was such a wonderful guy, she wanted to find all those girls who blew him off and read them the riot act.

"Not unless you want to be broken up." Darcy said her voice thick with tears. Steve shook his head and moved to cup her face in his hands.

"I thought…I thought that when you left…when you said what you did that you really meant that this…" He glanced between them, "Was done."

"No!" Darcy reached out and clutched his shirt, pulling him close. His arms slid around her, his hands tangled in her hair as she pressed her face to his chest. "Steve, I was just upset. I needed to get out of there, take a step back. I didn't, I wouldn't just…"

"Thank God." Steve muttered and kissed the crown of her head. They sat there hugging each other for a moment before Steve really took in what she had said when she first came in the room. About being sorry. He thought over their argument (ha! Not break-up!), and flushed a bit at his attitude. "I'm sorry too, Darce. I didn't mean to treat you like a kid, or belittle your opinion. I just- I –" He broke off and squeezed her a little closer.

"I know." She said moving her arms so they went around him and leaning into him. "I know. And I understand that he's your best friend, but he needs help right now."

"I can help him." Steve said, an edge of stubbornness creeping into his voice. He cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"I know that you want to help him, but Steve, he needs more than what _we_ can give him." She took a deep breath. "What I was going to say before was that we should keep him where he is while we have a professional help us…I don't know…deprogram him? Does that work? And then we should reassess after a little bit."

"A professional?" Steve asked hesitantly.

"I'm sure that Pepper knows a good psychiatrist that could help out. I mean, she managed Tony all those years. If that man hasn't had his head shrunk, we should think about trying to get a group rate." Darcy said and was pleased when Steve let out a little laugh and took her hand in his.

"I guess…that's what you were trying to say in the meeting?" She nodded and he looked at her a little sheepishly. "I probably should've listened to you."

"I know that you didn't really hold a lot of stock in psychiatry in the 40's-" Darcy started but Steve cut her off with a gentle kiss.

"Yeah. But I've been here long enough to see how that stuff can help. I mean, Sam ran some group sessions at the VA and, well, this is a good compromise." He looked over at her and gave a lopsided smile. "I mean, I'm not getting what I want right now, but I'm also not dividing my team and making them chose sides." He shrugged and Darcy squeezed his hand in hers.

"Alright. Well, I guess we got our first fight out of the way then."

"First fight?" Steve said, his voice a little light headed. Darcy gave him a weird look.

"Well yeah. I mean, couples fight and stuff. I'm actually surprised with everything we have going on that we hadn't had something a little…I don't know…smaller happen before today." She looked over at Steve and noticed him not making eye contact and rubbing his neck with his free hand. That was his tell. He was holding something back. "Alright, give it up soldier. What are you thinking about?"

"I just- I sorta thought that fights meant breaking up." Steve admitted and Darcy held back her laugh.

"No. I mean, we're two different people…we're going to disagree. We just have to promise to listen to each other." They sat in silence for a while before something dawned on her. "Wait, is there something that's been bothering you that you just didn't bring up because you were worrying about us breaking up?" As he shifted in his seat, Darcy realized that there was. "Steve!" She nudged him with her shoulder.

"Well…I mean, it's nothing really, but…"

"Steve…"

"Alright! I sorta hate it when you talk about our sex life in front of Tony." Steve blushed and hurried on before she could say anything. "I mean, you do only say _good_ things, but I just-" He trailed off with a shrug. "I just don't want _Tony_ to know that sorta thing about me." He mumbled.

"Oh." Darcy blinked at him.

"I'm sorry!" Steve said right away, feeling like kicking himself. "I'll just, I don't know, deal with it. It's ok-"

"No. I didn't really even think about it. But, if it bothers you, then it bothers me. I can't promise to stop right away, but I'll try." She let go of his hand and turned to face him taking his face in her hands. "Steve, your feelings are just as important as mine in this relationship. If something made me uncomfortable, you'd try to stop, right?" He nodded. "Well then, let me do this for you." She leaned in and kissed him and by the time they pulled apart, they were both smiling.

Steve was Captain America, which meant that he got into a lot of fights. The ones he hated the most were the one with Darcy. They never fought physically, never even sparred like Steve did with Natasha, but a fight with Darcy always hurt the worst.

Now that he knew a fight didn't mean a break-up, he wasn't quite as worried if one happened. But Steve never, _never,_ felt right when they were fighting. Fortunately Darcy felt the same way and a fight between them rarely lasted more than a few hours. Even though they were both two of the most stubborn people on the planet (er…realms).

But making up…that part almost made it worth it.

Steve was glad that they didn't fight often since it made his heart break and Darcy cry. But he was glad that for every fight they had they also had a reconciliation or compromise too. He guessed that was what made love lasting.

Darcy was glad that they didn't fight often since it made her heart break and Steve look so unsure of himself. She was glad though, that even when they were fighting, they had learned to listen to each other. She guessed that was what made no problem insurmountable.

Also, Darcy and Steve both found that they got into a lot fewer fights if they didn't listen to everything Tony Stark said.


End file.
